Crossovers that Should Be: The Write Stuff

[robkelk]

Why are they using gunpowder when they have explosive runes placed on the inside of a breech plate?

All the effort I put into writing that out, and I FAILED to mention one key point that makes the scheme workable:  the people using the gunpowder weapons don't use magic, and don't know all that magic can do ... they may not even know it exists.  (Not so much a Potter-verse-like situation as that the mages live far, far away; they've only lately begun visiting the area and getting involved in local squabbles to the point of attacking one side or the other.)  That was so clearly part of the concept in my head that I forgot to underline it for everyone else.  Mea omnia culpa.

So, somewhat like Slayers TRY but with D&D magic instead of the overpowered stuff Lina Inverse uses?

Explosive Runes is described in the Player's Handbook as a way to safeguard things against unauthorized reading, but it seems far more suitable to magical assassination.  Intercept a report Baron Whosit's sending to the King's Chancellor, scrawl the Runes on one page, the Chancellor starts reading, KABOOM! and he's "Chancelled."

"I prepared Explosive Runes this morning"
-- various notes written by Vaarsuvius, The Order of the Stick